


Journey Therapy

by AzraelGFG



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Drinking & Talking, F/M, Idiots in Love, Love Confessions, Mistakes were made, S8 fix, Series canon, What could have happened
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-22
Updated: 2019-05-22
Packaged: 2020-03-09 17:25:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18921646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AzraelGFG/pseuds/AzraelGFG
Summary: Sandor and Arya travel South to King's Landing. They both have unfinished business in the capital. They use the weeks of traveling south to talk...





	Journey Therapy

“For fuck's sake,” Sandor groaned as he saw the little wolf approach on her horse.

“On your own?” she asked.

“Not anymore…I don’t like crowds…”

“Me neither…”

“Why not? They all love you now. You are the big hero…” Sandor said.

Everybody in Winterfell couldn’t stop and the legend of the wolf who killed the Nightsking weaved itself. Sandor had no idea what about it was true and what was not, but he didn’t really care to be honest.

“Don’t like heroes…” she said.

“Must have felt good to kill this horned fucker…”

“It was better than dying instead…” she said. “You heading to King’s Landing?”

“I have some unfinished business.”

“Me too.”

“I don’t plan on coming back.”

“Neither do I.”

 “You plan on leaving me to die again if I get hurt?”

“Probably…but first I am going to rob you,” she said dryly making Sandor chuckle.

It strangely felt good to not make this journey alone.

 

***

 

The first days of their journey they didn’t speak much during the day and even less during the evening when they made camp.

At the evening they both starred up to the dark sky above them until they fell asleep.

Sandor’s thoughts mostly circled around the evening of the feast.

The little bird.

Not so little anymore. Not a young girl that was afraid of him anymore, but a woman grown. A beautiful woman. The most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

And she had spoken with him. She had approached him to speak with him.

He had been such a fool. Instead of saying something smart, he had to bring up the rumors he had heard about her last marriage.

_Stupid old dog_ , he scolded himself. He only hoped she didn’t think he said it to cause her pain. _Stupid old dog_ …

But she hadn’t seemed to hate him, didn’t she? She had even touched his hand. His hand! With hers!

Her hand had felt so soft on his. Her touching him had been the last thing he had expected her to do. His heart had nearly stopped.

And the look she had given him when she had stood up and left.

If he didn’t know better, he had nearly though she wanted him to follow her.

Foolish old dog. She deserves someone better than you could ever be.

 

***

 

“Did Gendry speak about me?” Arya suddenly asked out of nowhere the evening after they had reached the other side of the Neck.

“Why would he speak about you?” Sandor asked.

Arya just shrugged.

“Aye, he was looking for you during the feast.”

“What did he say?” Arya asked curiously.

“Nothing he was just looking for you. Did he find you?”

“He did.”

“One last fuck before departing?” Sandor asked teasing.

“Ohh shut up.”

“But you too fucked, didn’t you?”

“And if so? Who cares? You?”

“I couldn’t care less.”

“Aye we fucked, but only one time before the battle,” she said.

“Was he your first?”

“And if so?” she asked with another shrug. “Nothing wrong with not wanting to die as a maiden.”

“Aye, nothing wrong with it.”

He looked into the flames for a while.

“Was he good? After all, he is the son of Robert Baratheon and the wenches were never really impressed by what he did?”

“Good night…” Arya groaned and turned away.

 

***

 

“Did your sister mention me?” Sandor asked a few evenings later.

“Sansa?”

“You have another sister I don’t know off?” he asked slightly annoyed.

“Once or twice,” Arya said.

“What did she say?” he pushed.

“You really want to know, don’t you?” Arya asked teasing and Sandor growled to herself.

“She only mentioned how you saved her in King’s Landing and how you offered to take her with you. Basically, just confirming what you said as you abducted me.”

“I didn't abduct you,” Sandor said.

“Yes, you just surprisingly took me for a ride against my will. I am no maester, but I think that is called abduction.”

“Still mad about it?” he asked with a chuckle.

“Totally,” she said amused.

“Your sister has changed a lot.”

“She has been through a lot.”

“I know…I heard so,” Sandor said and tried to hide how much the thought of somebody forcing himself on Sansa pained him.

“She is strong. Stronger than any woman I know,” she took her revenge on who did that to her.”

“I know. She told me.”

“When?”

“During the feast after the funeral. She sat with me and told me about it when I asked.”

“Well, then she seems to trust you. She doesn’t usually speak to anyone about Ramsay and his end.”

Sandor only hummed as an answer and laid down to sleep.

 

***

 

“I know that Podrick took two girls to his bed during the feast. Everybody speculated about his magic _sword_ the next morning,” Arya said and Sandor saw how she rolled her eyes.

“Jealous?” Sandor asked teasing.

“Pffff as if,” she said. “Did you get a wench to warm your bed?”

“I wasn’t in the mood…”

“Why? Don’t your balls bust by now? I’ve never seen you with a woman.”

“My balls are fine thanks for asking…”

“So you fucked someone between me leaving you and now?”

“The only thing that fucked me all the time was life…”

“Did Gendry return to the Great Hall after he found me?” Arya asked.

“Yes, but only briefly… he took the largest jug of ale he found and was gone.”

“Did he take a girl with him?” asked and Sandor could hear a hint of insecurity in her question.

“I haven’t seen him with anyone…why are you asking what happened between you that evening?”

“I don’t want to talk about it…”

“Was he that bad? I thought he would last longer than thirty seconds…” Sandor said teasing.

Arya threw a stick after him on the opposite side of the fire.

“Shut up. He was good and gentle, so watch your mouth.”

“Then tell me what was going on instead of sulking.”

“He asked me to marry him alright?” she said annoyed throwing a new piece of wood in the fire.

“Fuck me sideways,” Sandor rasped. “He really asked you to be his wife?”

“Yes…”

“And why did you say no? He is a good lad and now great Lord.”

“Look at me!” Arya said. “Do I look like a lady to you who could rule over a castle? I am not Sansa. I don’t know shit about being a lady…”

There was a moment of silence between them.

“Did you at least say goodbye to him?”

“No…I couldn’t face him in the morning…I left like a coward…”

“You are the last person who is a coward,” Sandor said and Arya gave him a small smile.

 

***

 

“Is there someone in Sansa’s life?” Sandor asked a few days after they crossed the Trident. Sandor had never spoken so much in his life than he had done in the last couple of weeks traveling with the little wolf. Not that Sandor minded. He actually enjoyed talking much to his surprise.

“What do you mean with _someone_?”

“What I said. Does she have someone she cares for?” Sandor asked and feared if the answer would be yes.

“Not that I know off. Sansa is hard to read regarding men now. I know that young Lord Cerwyn and some knights from the Vale were trying to win her, but she wouldn’t have anything of it. Sansa didn’t even allow them a kiss on the hand. She doesn’t like to be touched by anyone.”

“She touched my hand.”

“Really? Are you sure it was Sansa?” Arya asked amused.

“How could I forget?” Sandor asked. “When she talked to me she placed her hand on mine and for a moment…”

“And for a moment?”

“Doesn’t matter. I just a foolish dog.”

“Now you are sulking,” Arya said with a chuckle.

Sandor laid down on his horse blanket and turned his back to Arya.

“For a moment I thought she wanted me to follow her…” he said and he heard Arya took in a sharp breath but didn’t say anything further.

 

***

 

They could finally see the city walls of King’s Landing. Tomorrow they would sneak in. Sandor though felt like he didn’t really know anymore why he had wanted to come here in the first place.

He had just started a fire, while Arya had gone to check their traps, after brushing down their horses.

Arya returned with a few hares and started to gut them.

They ate in peace and quiet until Arya spoke up.

“Gendry always loved hares when we traveled in the Riverlands,” she said with a sigh.

“Are you starting again? Gendry here, Gendry there. He is so strong,” Sandor said teasing.

“Ohh shut up. You always talk about Sansa…and, not for the first time you also talked the whole time about her when we traveled for the first time. Sansa here…little bird there…”

“I don’t speak that often of her…” Sandor complained.

“You talk about her like she is the only thing your thoughts circle around.”

“And you talk about Gendry like you see it was worst decision to have refused to marry him. You keep on asking if he had other girls…”

“And you ask if Sansa has any suitors in line…”

They stared at each other over the flames.

Sandor felt his facial expression soften just like he saw Arya’s soften in realization.

“You really love her,” she said the same moment he said, “You really love him.”

They both let the words sink in for a moment.

“I do,” Sandor finally said. “I love your sister, but I know I am not good enough for her.”

“Are you stupid? After everything, you told me you have more than good chances with my sister. Gods, she touched your hand! She touched your hand! My sister who can’t stand to get a formal kiss on the hand touched your hand and I definitely can imagine she wanted you to follow her that evening.”

“If I am stupid then not more than you are,” Sandor rasped. “That boy loves you. He loves you the way you are. He doesn’t want you to be the perfect lady, who wears fine dresses and knows how to play the bloody harp. He wants you just the way you are.”

Arya let his words sink in.

“What the hell are we doing here, Sandor?” she asked and he was surprised that she used his real name.

“Asking like this it sounds like we made a horrible mistake to leave Winterfell, little wolf.”

“Cersei is going to die, no matter if I am here or not,” Arya said.

“And Gregor will find is end one way or another,” Sandor rasped.

“We should get back North before Sansa gets so annoyed by her suitors that she agrees to marry one…” Arya said.

“And quick enough before Gendry decides to get one of the wenches to warm his bed,” Sandor rasped and started to pack his belongings.

“Shit, we really need to hurry or we might regret it,” Arya said hurried to extinguish the fire.

“I’ll ask her to marry me,” Sandor rasped.

“You better do, or I’ll drag you to her room, push you inside and lock the room until you two agree to marry.”

“But you will have to marry Gendry as well. It was enough to endure Tormund crying on my shoulder because Brienne gets her bed warmed by that gold handed fucker. I won’t have a stag crying on my shoulder.”

“Yes…alright… I’ll throw myself into his arms and happily agree to marry him as soon as we enter the castle.”

“And you will wear a nice dress at your wedding,” Sandor teased.

“Stop, or I’ll make Sansa stop you to drink dornish red.”

“Fuck me, I thought we were kind of friends.”

“I’d rather think we are soon family.”

They both laughed heartily while packing their last belongings before they mounted their horses turning them the only direction, they were interested in.

North. To their loved ones.

The End.


End file.
